


Moving the Heavens and the Earth

by ayuemui



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Genre: But very, Other, i wanted to bring out the aspects of the pokemon world, pokemon mystery dungeon novelization, shipping is... Gay, very different
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-04-01 07:51:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4011760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ayuemui/pseuds/ayuemui
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"No, this isn't how I wanted it at all." The Charmander spat, his face one of unmasked fury. "This isn't how any of us wanted it."</p><p>"Then do it." Michael snarls, simply. "Is that what you wanted to hear? The fall of the king, the ruin of <i>our</i> planet?"</p><p>--</p><p>The story of how a brave Charmander, a cowardly Pikachu, a former prince Buizel, and an eloquent knightly Grovyle caused the fall of an empire.</p><p>A novelization of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon that takes a very, very different turn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

The first thing you notice, is that it is incredibly dark. There's the sound of waves, you think, but despite straining your ears, you cannot hear it.

The second thought that comes to you is that you may have been rendered unconscious. Your arms and legs are useless, mind sluggish and eyes tired. Everything is pained, and you cannot feel a single thing.

Then, you hear a voice.

.." Hello! And welcome to the world of Pokemon. Many Pokemon inhabit this world. In fact.. your destiny comes from the fabulous land. But first, I have a few questions, would you be willing to answer them?"

It doesn't look like you have a choice. Your lips part for you to answer, but you soon realize that you can't quite say anything. There's a low laugh from the voice, eerie enough for a shiver to crawl through your skin. Swallowing thickly, you force yourself to nod. It's impossible to see anything, no matter how hard you strain. The voice continues.

"Silly me! You cannot speak. I can understand you well enough, either way! There's no need for you to speak, my dearest! You haven't forgotten me yet, have you? I suppose you.. did. You wouldn't remember me anyway. But.. I can see you well enough to know who you really are."

Remember? Remember who? Your mind's gears seem to be dusted and rusty, you cannot muster a single thought that would be of use. Honestly, you'd be more useful fully unconscious. But aren't you supposed to be.. dreaming? And who was this voice, exactly? Did you know them? How did they see you in this thick, inky darkness.

"You were my partner, of course. But it's okay! I'll help you out well. Just close your eyes, and I'll tell your about your aura, dear."

Aura? What's. Ah. An aura. The voice is gentle with you, and obviously male. Who could it be, you ponder. But it didn't matter. You closed your eyes, and suddenly, you feel it.

It's the feeling of a cold bucket of icy water dropped down upon you, a glacial trickle through your body that left you breathless and gasping. The voice was a warm reminder around you, and you felt something gentle touch your shoulder.

"It's alright.. shh." The sound quiets you, so softly and with fondness in his voice. "Your aura is clear now. A brilliant, sky blue."

Amazing, you think sarcastically, that's exactly what I wanted to know in this position. Tied down, maybe, unable to move, and you've managed to become the world's greatest matchmaker. So, when am I gonna marry this sky? After a second of bitter thought, there's a snorting laughter.

"Hey, Brendon, calm down." Brendon? Was that your name? "It's not like I'm gonna hurt you, jeez. Anyway, I've decided what you are! And you shouldn't be surprised."

"You're so brave!" He begins in awe, and you're puzzled by the affection in his voice, "and you never back down from anything. You're so gutsy and brash, in a way that others aren't!"

“Sometimes, things get tough, and you easily fall apart. But deep down, you know you can still do it!”

"You have the potential to be a great person!" He sighs, "and you were always the last one still standing."

"You have such a strong sense of justice, and you can't turn a blind eye to anyone in trouble. But sometimes you take this sense of personal justice too pushily, so don't be too hard on yourself, Brendon!"

And then you feel a fire through you, literally, and you cry out as every bone in your body feels like it's stretching and breaking. Every muscle being torn, and rebuilt. You jerk, probably on the floor, with little whimpers and cries that sound awkward, as if they didn't belong to you. The pain is like a liquid, flowing smoothly from one part of your body so quickly as if it were a drop on oil. The voice sounds concerned now, and you feel something petting you softly. 

"You're a Charmander. Shhh, Brendon, it's all right. It's okay. I'm here. You're gonna go with someone else this time, okay? I won't be by your side any more, but I'll be with you in spirit. Remember me, my friend. My exploration partner."

And you think you can almost remember his name, but there's a blinding flash of light.

> 

Sunset, over the highest cliffs along the rocky edges of Treasure Town. The Guild, settling among one of the highest cliffs, rests peacefully. The only sound is the occasional call of a Swellow in the distance, and fire crackling on pedestals beside the entrance. Colorful totems and flowers decorate the entrance, along with the ominous grate guarding the guild's entrance.

All was quiet, calm, except for a couple of footsteps. Anxious ones, pacing along only pawsteps from the grate. There was soft breathing, and muttered curses.

"Hmmm.." the small, yellow mouse-like Pokemon breathes, before continuing his nervous pacing. He stops, looking up at the gate, before sighing and shaking his head. The Pikachu looks up with a hardened resolve, his voice strong.

"No. I refuse to be paralyzed by this any longer!" He affirms, putting a paw down in protest. "T-today, I am going to be brave. I can do this!"

The Pikachu steps up to the grate, taking a deep breath before shutting his eyes tightly. A loud cry sounded from below, startling and scaring him from the grate. He stumbled back, rolling backwards onto the path with an "oof!"

"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!"

"Whose footprint? Whose footprint?"

"Gah!" the Pokemon cries, before skittering back a few more feet as the unfamiliar voices sounded from below. He then swallowed, sighed, and took off a necklace of sorts around his neck.

"N-no.. I can't do it." He mumbled numbly, placing the necklace on the ground in front of him. There was a little stone that had been laced through string. It was strange, almost like a fragment of something else. There was an eerie inscription across the top surface, which was entirely flat. The bottom was rocky and unusual, as if it had been forcefully pulled from a marker of sorts. "I thought that holding onto my p-personal treasure would inspire me.. but no.."

"I'm a coward." He spits, closing his eyes tightly as he took the stone, shoving it back into the satchel. The Pikachu turned, trudging down the path and steps.

He nearly tripped over his own paws several times before the dirt path turned to smooth, whitish yellow sand underneath his paws, and he gasped as the view came into sight. "Wow.."

The water from the sea extended far into the horizon, and it was impossible to see anything beyond it. A beautiful sight, the pink and orange streaks of the dying sun striking a magnificent glare over the blue surface, and casting a glow against bubbles that began to float past. Every night, he knew, the Krabby came out at sundown to blow bubbles over the water's edge. When the weather was good, it was a beautiful sight to behold. Sitting for a moment in the soft sand, he was able to appreciate it. "All those bubbles," he whispered, kneading his paws in the grains, "reflecting the setting sun off of the waves.. it's always so wonderful.. I guess I sound a little stupid muttering to myself like this, even though it's true."

After a moment, despite the sun not having set just yet, he blinked. There was a lump of red in the corner of his vision, and natural curiosity caused his to turn his head. It appeared to be a great big blob of a reddish orange, and he cautiously moved towards it. Blinking, the Pikachu called out. "Hey, hello? Oh, Arceus, someone's collapsed on the sand!"

He scrambles towards the unmoving Pokemon, and inspects them closely for a moment. A funny dragonlike Pokemon he'd never seen before, but it had no wings! It sure didn't look like it was a dragon. Eyes closed, they seemed hurt, and unconscious. Nervously, he gently shook them with his paws. "Hey.. hey, wake up! What happened, are you okay?"

> 

You blink your eyes open slowly. What was that? You didn't hear it clearly. Good God, are you tired. Couldn't you just sleep a little longer? This was bothersome, having to wake up this early. What time was it?

When you first move, you feel a sluggish pain in your muscles that stupidly reminds you that you haven't moved in a while. At least, that's what it seems like. You wouldn't know. The last thing you heard was that voice, and you couldn't worry about that voice when you were about to finally wake up.

The world is foggy, and your limbs are groggy (haha, that rhymes) from sleep. You wearily blink the bleariness from your eyes until the view clears up a bit, and only then do you see a face in front of you, nose barely touching your own. Giving a shocked gasp, you nearly smack them in the face as you scramble to your feet.

"Whoa! Easy, tiger!" The Pikachu has a high-pitched voice, but it’s not unpleasant. "You're awake! Thank goodness.."

It takes more time than you thought it would for you to form words, and even then they are not entirely coherent, your voice is rougher and more reptilian than you remember. "Where am.. I?"

The Pikachu seems overjoyed that you've at least woken up, and you find it a little annoying how he rambles on for what seems like ages. "You wouldn't move at all, I was really scared for you!" He babbles, as you dust the sand from your hands. The mouselike Pokemon seemed excited, and so bubbly that you weren't sure whether to smile and laugh along or be entirely annoyed. He jumps a little at your expression, face falling for only a moment before he continues. "You were unconscious! Do you have any idea how you ended up here?"

The thought strikes you as odd. How DID you end up here? What had happened? It seemed like a daydream, the encounter with the mysterious voice. Honestly, if he hadn't told you, you would have considered the thought of you becoming unconscious in the first place to be stupid. The Pikachu looks a little put off at your thoughtfulness, and he rolls his head in fond exasperation.

"Anyway, I'm Gareth!" he chirps, and god damn, does he ever tire out? Either way, at least you've learned of SOMEONE new in this strange place. "I'm really happy to meet you... uh. Who are you, exactly? I've never seen you around before!"

You sit down and blink. "I'm human," you say, almost cockily, with a smirk. "I'm not sure where I came from, though. You'd have to take that up with my manager."

"What?" Gareth looks shocked, with a puzzled expression, and you blink. "A human? But you look like a totally normal Charmander to me!"

You look around, curiously, as if he were talking to someone else. Yet, the beach is still quiet but for the two of you, and the gentle slosh of the waves. The frothing squishing of the Krabbys' bubbles is also audible, but hardly. You're too focused on yourself. Casting your gaze down, you lift your.. paws. Red paws with fingers like claws, and scaly yet smooth skin. Looking behind you, you can make out a fiery tail tip, and there's a harsh yelp that escapes you before you can do anything about it. "Ohhhh, God! It's true, I've become a Charmander! How the hell does this even happen?" you ramble, your hands flying to your head to hold yourself gently. Panicking, you look up at Gareth.

"You're.. kind of odd.." He mumbles, almost uncertainly, his smile gone. But he doesn't move, and that's enough to reassure you. "Are you pulling some kind of trick on me?"

"Unfortunately," you sigh, "no."

"So you're telling the truth?" Gareth meows, almost challengingly. You roll your eyes, and he snorts with laughter before continuing his interrogation. "All right then, Scale-toes! How about a name?"

"A name?" You ask, stupidly. The question is strange. What _is_ your name? You recall the voice calling you Dear. Was that your name? No, that was an affectionate colloquialism. What else did the voice call you? "Brendon?"

"Oh! So you're named Brendon," he mews, looking relieved as a large, toothy grin split his face. "Well, you don't seem to be a bad Pokemon, at least! I'm sorry for doubting you. Lots of bad Pokemon have been cropping up lately, and it's just not safe anymore.."

"I get i-" You begin, but there's something you can see just over his head. Are those other Pokemon? What are they doing here?

Before you can question his on the newer acquaintances, a funny-looking bat pokemon tackles his headfirst, butting his forward. Gareth gasps, and awkwardly knocks into you. Steadying the two of you, your arms move to catch his. He quickly regains balance, however, and almost smacks you with his tail as he turns. "Hey! What's the big idea?"

"Oh, well.. I beg your pardon." One of them speaks, and by God's name you have never seen anything so strange in your life. It's like a floating fucking bubble of gas, purple with a strange symbol printed across it's chest. Male, you think, but the Koffing laughs. And the bat-like Pokemon (Zubat? You aren't too sure) with him joins in the collective giggle.

You note Gareth's hackles rising, and you scramble forward to stand beside his. "Gareth? Who are these dudes?"

"Can't figure it out?" Zubat sneers, sticking his tongue out at the both of you as he furiously flapped his wings to stay afloat, "we wanted to mess with you! Can't stand up to us, can ya?"

Gareth suddenly looks startled, different from the whim of anger he'd possessed beforehand. Shrinking away slightly, his paws quiver. "Wh-what?"

It seems that they'd knocked something from his with their initial tackle, and it lay in the sand, untouched. Gareth's jaw dropped slightly, and Zubat moved towards it a little. "That yours, huh?"

"Oh, that's..!"

"I'll be taking it, thanks," Zubat cut in smoothly, his voice turning to a shrieking giggle along with Koffing's. It made your own hackles rise, the way they treat his so stupidly, despite you having known his for less than five minutes. Zubat swooped to collect his prize.

"No, wait!" Gareth whimpered, and Koffing moved closer to snarl in his face.

"Whoa-ho-ho! Gonna make a move to get it back? What's the matter? You scared, kiddo? I didn't expect you to be such a coward." He taunted, and Gareth winced beside you. "Come on, Zubat, let's get out of here."

The poison-gas Pokemon cuts to the side, floating away as Zubat scrambled after him. "See you around, Chicken!" He spat, as they both floated away to your right and behind you. You want to turn to see where they've gone, but Gareth crumpling to the ground is enough to make you pause.

"Ohhhhh.." he breathes, shakily, and you can hear the strain of his voice. He looks up at you. It's so slight, the way his chin tilts up towards you. "Wh-what should I do? That's my personal treasure.. it means everything to me. If I lose it.." his voice breaks and he chokes on the words for a moment. But then, that sudden bravery shines through again, and he hauls herself to his feet.

"No!" Gareth squeaks, voice full of determination. "There's no time to waste.." he looks to you, face pleading. "Brendon? Will you help me?"

This is a life or death decision now, that's clear to you. But you can't help your own stupidity, the fact that you'd probably trip on your own paws if it weren't for the ground being flat. "Wh-what do I do?"

"AAAAAAGH, Brendon!" Gareth groans in exasperation, before taking one of your paws in his own. "Come on, there's no time to waste!"

"But you can't just.." Your voice trails off, and he purses his lips tightly.

"That's my personal treasure, Brendon. If that disappeared, then I'd.." He shakes his head again, looking resolved to not dissolve into pity-town. "Please help, Brendon!"

"Hey, buddy," you say, voice stern. "I don't know who I am, I hardly know who you are, and I can't remember anything that's happened to me before this! Let me just get one sentence out, all right?"

"I know, it must be really difficult for you," he says, his voice countering yours with hardness, "but I'll help you out if you help me. Deal?"

"Got it." You respond, and he shakes your paw, as if it were a real-life gamble with your lives on the line. He looks so serious, it almost makes you want to laugh. But then he's rushing behind you, into a dark cavern, and you sigh. "Hurry up, Brendon, let's go right away!"

> 

"We've been walking in circles." You insist, looking up at the stalactites lining the tops of the damp, dark cave. Your tail fire and the luminous glow from the crystals lining the cave walls lit the path, and there was an underground river that marked the trail. Pokemon were abundant here, but Gareth explained patiently to you that not all Pokemon in this world were friendly, and in dungeons they mostly proved to be hostile. You sighed, pressing your claws to your temples.

"Nonsense! I know exactly where we're going. Keep your eyes on the prize, dragon breath!" Gareth meowed excitedly, bouncing on his toes as you both walked. God damn. How is he so ready for adventure? He seemed excited at every crevice of the cavern, and it was if the adventure called his name. You rolled your eyes. "I can hear their voices up ahead."

"Alright. Whatever you say, Catnip." Grumbling, you turned away. You have to stop almost-smiling at this kid's rocky sense of humor. Dragon breath? You looked like a giant red gecko, honestly. It's still hard for you to believe that you're a Pokemon, much less following after this kid like a lost Growlithe.

While you reminisce your decisions to even come in here, you hear a "Haaah!" and a "Take THAT! Haha!" behind you that causes you to lazily turn. It's Gareth, panting, and a funny looking Pokemon you'd never seem before stood a couple feet away. Gareth sticks his tongue out, and you snarl as you readied yourself. "What is that?”

"A Kabuto!" He growls, and pounces. Sure enough, the shell-like Pokemon moved upwards to meet his, and as he smacked his paws into each side of it's head in a normal attack, you note that it somehow, mysteriously, vanishes. You gasp.

"What the heck? What happened?"

"It got repelled back to where it came from, I guess," he responds, as he lands and moves to your side. "What do you have there?"

"It must have dropped these," you respond, and twist slightly to illuminate the area in front of you with your fire-tipped tail. "It looks like.. food?”

“Berries!” Gareth joyfully snatched them from the ground. Two blue, egg-shaped berries. He popped one into your mouth, and then offered one to you. “They’re good for you! Have one!”

“How so?” You challenge, but he rolls his eyes and dumps it into your paws. You eat it, slowly. It tastes sweet, and you feel the blood rush to your head before your body begins to feel warm and cozy.

“I like it.” You tell him.

“I knew you would.”

You both seem to be ascending, the ground grows rougher and more slanted, as you both move from floor to floor. The light from your tail fire illuminating the wall crystals is ever so strong, as is Gareth's resolve. The Pikachu looks as fired-up as ever, despite you being the fire type. "Hasty, aren't we?"

"I'm just ready to.. oh."

You both enter the final cavern, and it's much brighter in here. The fading sunlight shines through the roof enough for you to see, and the beams cast themselves upon two familiar figures craning over a small object in the center of the cave.

Koffing and Zubat, you guess, becoming irritated.

Moving to Gareth's side, you can hear his uneven, nervous breaths as he swallows thickly once more. He was strange, in the sense that he seemed to be startled when facing them herself. The odd, spontaneous busts of bravery seemed to come from times in which someone prompted before he could. "H-hey!"

The figures turn, and you called it. Koffing and Zubat, looking to be in a jubilee of their own victory. "Well, well, well." Koffing gloats, and Zubat chitters a taunting laugh. "Ain't it our old friend, the big fat chicken!"

Gareth steps back a bit, and you part your lips in a snarl. "..G-give me back what you stole from me!" he snarls, his voice growing more steady with every word. "That's my treasure, and I've come back for it!"

"Oh, treasure, you say?" Zubat mocks, moving from side to side in the air. His wings gave off a soft hum as they ferociously flapped, and it added to the eerie tension of the cavern. "So that rock really is valuable, you say?"

"It could be worth more than we hoped," Koffing agrees, turning to his companion, "We oughta try selling it. Who knows? It could fetch a fair price. All the more reason not to give it back."

"You c-can't!" Gareth's voice is quivering again, and you take a step forward with a reptile-ish hiss. He sounds as if on the brink of tears, and Zubat moved closer in a threatening manner.

"If you want it back that badly," he whispers, and suddenly raises his voice to a piercing shout, "come and GET IT!"

You're the first to move, with a battle yowl as Zubat lunges at Gareth. Knocking him from the air, your claws glow and extend to allow you to Scratch him furiously. The batlike Pokemon rolls with the impact, jerking away from you with a heavy cry. It's enough to make you flinch, and you can hear Gareth exclaim somewhere behind you as Koffing presumably makes his move. Zubat flies towards you once more, sinking his foaming venom teeth into your shoulder in a Poison Fang. You turn sharply, and you are surprised when a small burst of flame erupts from your maul. It's a move, an attacking move, you guess wildly as Zubat cowers from the impact.

"Tackle that kiddo! Yeah!" Gareth shouts from behind you, and is he calling out his moves as he delivers them? You almost shake your head fondly before diving at Zubat, parting your jaws again to deliver a crushing torrent of fire. He gives a sharp hiss beneath you, before feebly groaning.

Rubbing at your throbbing shoulder, you turn. Gareth easily outspeeds Koffing, weaving in and out to the sides in front of him before he can blink. He strikes fast, and while not too forceful with his attacks, they come quickly and smoothly, A natural fighter, you can see that in the fluidity of his movement. While you were a fan of brute force, as was evident with your fight against Zubat, he was able to outmaneuver the enemy before they could move.

Gareth backs up against the wall as Koffing moves forward, and then jumps back onto it. It's surprising, he sustains herself on the vertical wall for a second or so before hurling herself at him. He glows brightly, and tackles him headfirst before landing smoothly on the rocky terrain. The force of the blow launches Koffing away, before he gives an "Oof!" and smashes into Zubat on the ground.

"Aaaauuugh," he breathes, and Zubat quickly agrees with a "Baaaaauurrrghh.." of his own. Gareth smiles at you warmly, and you smirk back as he prods you in the side. Oh, right, you're still injured. You'd be okay.

"Hey, what's that?" He asks, curiously, pointing to your shoulder. It's looking mighty awful, and throbs every couple of seconds.

"I'm poisoned, probably," you respond, and he looks shocked. Zubat did use Poison Fang, you aren't all that surprised that you were poisoned.

"Oh, hell no!" Gareth growls stubbornly, before removing his satchel to dig around inside. "You can't just blow off every wound like that, Brendon, we're going to encounter more stuff like this in the future!"

"We?" you tease, but he's pushing a pinkish berry at you. Wincing, you give it a hard look. "The fuck is this?"

"Eat it, don’t ask any questions now," he growls at you, and you can't protest with that. You give it a cautious bite, before tearing into it hungrily. It comes to mind that you haven't had a good meal in a while. Gareth watches you with sharp eyes as you swallow it down, and then nods his approval. The pain from the bite is entirely gone, as if the berry had lifted it. Pecha, probably.

You almost forget about the stupid pair of crooks on the ground in front of you both. They seemed to have gathered themselves, both floating upright despite their terrible injuries. Zubat all but flung the fragment at you, and you fumbled with it as you caught it.

"Here! Take it, it's probably worth nothing anyway," he snarls, and Koffing narrows his bulging eyes.

"Beaten by a couple o' wimps, I can't believe it. If the boss were with us, you wouldn't have won. Let's scram, dude!"

Before you can protest, they've already fled, exiting the cave behind you both. Gareth turns to you, and you give his the fragment. He gazes at it in awe, then looks at you as he quickly tucks it away. "Oh.. Brendon. Thank you so, so much! I couldn't have beaten them without you."

You smile.

> 

Gareth is still showing his endless gratitude as you both returned to the beach, and it starts to make you doubt your own decisions. He babbles on and on about how happy he is to get it back as you both sat in the sand. The sunlight was still bright, despite the sun beginning to set. Time was strange here, you notice. It's almost as if you never left. Was it the dungeon you'd entered?

You really only helped Gareth because it was convenient for you, and because you were available to. Should you have done it.. was it really the right thing to do? How would you know that Gareth never stole his funny looking rock? But.. you suppose so. This Pokemon is clearly grateful, and it's nice to be appreciated. You muse over his happiness for a moment longer, before he snaps you out of your thoughts like a sucker punch.

"Look, here's what they stole. Isn't it great? I call it my Relic Fragment. You've never seen a pattern like it before, have you?" He says, laying the stone in front of you. Craning your neck, you get a good look. It's a strange pattern indeed, almost foreboding in the sense that it sends shivers up your spine like the Voice did.

"It's my precious treasure. Doesn't it remind you of faraway lands, precious abysses just waiting for someone to find them after decades of waiting? I've always been into legends and lore, and this Relic Fragment is everything to me! I can't quite remember where I got it, but it reminds me of uncharted territories veiled in darkness, and new lands just waiting to be discovered!" 

He sighs, almost dreamily, and his expression is of an innocent child trying ice cream for the first time. "Ohhh, and history! Wouldn't it be so dramatic to make a historic discovery like this? There's gotta be a meaning to this pattern, I just know it."

"It is certainly a weird-lookin' thing." You hesitantly agree, and Gareth rolls his eyes.

"At least, that's the feeling I get." He squeaks, and jumps with newfound excitement. "That's why I want to join an exploration team! I want to solve the mystery of my Relic Fragment. So earlier I tried heading down to Wigglytuff's Guild to sign up as an apprentice.." he pauses, and his expression falls. "But I chickened out."

Then he swallows, and looks back up at you, almost hopefully. "So what are you going to do now, Brendon? What about you? You've somehow transformed into a Pokemon, or so you say, and you've lost your memory.. is there any place you can stay?"

Your silence speaks sentences for you, and Gareth blinks. A tiny, hopeful smiles plays at the edge of his lips, and you almost smile yourself. "Yeah, I've got no idea what the hell I can do. I'm still not too sure this ain't a dream, y'know."

"Oh, shut up," he fusses, and you roll your eyes, "you should join an exploration team with me, Brendon! That's my.. I hope you can. We make a good team, I think. Would you, please?"

The question catches you by surprise, and you blink. What do you do? Shit. Shit! You're getting recruited for a team out of the blue! What would Ben Stiller do? Adam Sandler? But do they even exist here? Swallowing thickly, you stare his down. "What the hell's an exploration team. Are.. are you..?"

He stares you down, equally stubborn, before blinking in confusion. "Am I? What do you mean?"

"Are you trying to talk me into it?"

"H-hell no!" He responds, looking shocked as he tucks his fragment away. "T-talk you into it? The thought never even crossed my mind! Listen, Brendon.. I know that I really am a coward. I mean.." he deflects his gaze to his paws, and you feel a churn in your stomach. "I thought I could depend on you, I admit it.. but during that fight with Koffing and Zubat earlier, having you with me..

I felt really brave.

I think I could do anything with you with me, Brendon. So come on, I'm begging you. Form an exploration team with me! Just you and me. I really am braver with you, Brendon, and you're amazing at fighting. You were fantastic. And when I saw that, I knew that.. you're no ordinary Pokemon! You could be a first-class explorer, Brendon. So.. please?"

It was true. You had nowhere to go. There was no clue of what to do next. And maybe hanging around Gareth could help you gather your bearings, because the Voice told you that you had a big destiny ahead of you. So maybe being with Gareth could help you piece together.. well, whatever this is. But you wouldn't be able to back out later. Surely he'd be willing to help you no matter what, right?

"Alright, it's settled. Even through your praise and flattery, I can tell you truly appreciate me as a leader." You say, with a grin. "And I'm in."

"Oh, really?" Gareth gasps, and the biggest smile yet nearly breaks his face. The urge to embrace the smaller Pokemon is nearly overwhelming, holy fuck. He's thrilled. "Oh my God, thank you, Brendon! We're a great combination, so let's make this work!"

 

Would you like to save your adventure?

> [yes]  
no

> Saving.. please don't turn off the power or touch the Game Card..

> Save completed! 


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> brendon and gareth learn some things

> Unlock “file_021.mmd.memory”?

> Working…

> ERROR: Insufficient memory track. Continue? 

Wigglytuff’s Guild, or so Gareth told you, loomed far above. The place was incredible, and you’d never seen anything like it. A tent jutted from the ground up, held in place by stakes as a ladder inside led deep underground. Casked fires cackled beside the entrance, illuminating the area.

The totem poles were… kinda creepy, you thought with a frown. Not to mention the gigantic grate that stood guard in front of the entrance.

“This is Wigglytuff’s Guild, as I said,” Gareth squeaked cautiously. “To form an exploration team here, we have to register. I mean, everything has a lot to do with paperwork, doesn’t it?”

“That doesn’t make sense,” you tell him, “we’re Pokemon. Why do we need paperwork?”

“Formalities!” Gareth replied, exasperated. “After that, we just train until we’re the best of the best! The best exploration team in the world, in fact.”

You don’t answer him. That seems like a long stretch… You can’t imagine your temporary alliance turning into a world-class expedition, not to mention the training. And that’s almost unimaginable itself… what kind of training did it have to be to scare Gareth so badly? He seemed naturally shy and timid, but still…

“Oh..” He mumbled beside you. “Doesn’t there seem to be something a little weird about this place? It always gives me the chills..”

“Remember why we’re here.” You remind him. “Yeah, it’s weird, but there’s no need to worry about that now.”

“You’re right! I have you with me…” Gareth shifts nervously. “I shouldn’t be scared. I have to… I have to be brave for him!”

Without giving you a moment to respond to his sudden act of bravery, he jumps forward to stand on the grate. You wince. It looks weird, like it might… tickle your feet…

Suddenly, a voice calls from far below, and it startles the both of you. Gareth, in particular, cringes and jumps with a squeak.

“Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!” A nasally voice calls.

“Whose footprint? Whose footprint?” It seems like another voice answers, this one loud and thunderous.

“The footprint is Pikachu’s! The footprint is Pikachu’s!” The nasally voice responds, and there’s some shifting noises from beneath the grate. Gareth winces.

“O-Oh!” He whimpers. “Um, can I get off now?”  
“You can ENTER!” The thunderous voice booms. “But there’s SOMEONE with you. So get that kid to stand up on the GRATE!”

Gareth hops off the grate, to the side. He brushes himself off, breathes deeply, and looks at you directly. “I guess they must have meant you, Brendon. On the grate with you, then.”

You hesitate, staring at the grate. The structure seems sturdy, like someone wouldn’t normally fall through. But it still seems really strange, even for the Pokemon world… Like you could maybe have your feet tickled, or slip through just slightly since you’re small…

The thunderous voice booms from below, and the two of you jump. “STRANGER! I haven’t got all day, you know, the daytime is RUNNING OUT. So get up there, and stand up on the grate!”

You just decide to step forward.

The nasally voice and thunderous one go at it once more.

“Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!”

“Whose footprint? Whose footprint?”

“I.. um.”

“Whose is it? Diglett?”

The nasally voice, presumably Diglett, stutters nervously. “Um.. Maybe Charmander’s! Maybe Charmander’s!”

“What the HELL?” The voice booms, now with a newfound rage. You and Gareth wince. “What do you mean MAYBE?”

“A-ah! Well!” Diglett stutters back, and he sounds uncertain. “There aren’t normally any Charmander around here, they’re… a bit weird, I guess?”

“Isn’t your job to check Pokemon feet?” The voice responds, but not unkindly. “That’s a pretty easy job for crummy performance.”

Diglett sounds exasperated. “I don’t know what I don’t know, Loudred.”

Gareth stifles a laugh, looking at you. “Oh my God, are they arguing?”

“Seems like it.” You respond, snorting a puff of smoke. “That’s hilarious, actually. Must explain why you were so shocked to see me, too.”

Gareth rolls his eyes, and Loudred speaks from below.

“Sorry to make you wait.”

The two of you turn your attention towards the grate.

“It’s true that you don’t see any Charmander around these parts,” he continues, “but you don’t SEEM to be bad, so maybe I won’t get in trouble as long as you don’t do anything STUPID.”

The gate in front of Wigglytuff’s Guild lowered, and you jump with a start. Gareth blinks.

“Gosh, I’m so nervous and jittery! My paws ache..” Gareth whimpers. “But I’m glad we can finally go in. Those Pokemon sounded really odd, didn’t they?”

You nod. “To be fair, I can accept being uncommon as a compliment. But… my heart’s pounding.”

“Then all the better!” Gareth squeaks, looking excited. Let’s go in.

>

The inside of the guild was all hustle and bustle. In fact, it was incredible. Pokemon of all kinds, Pokemon you’d never seen before, and Pokemon that you weren’t sure would look good in real life… they were here. The guide was underground but there was a smooth grassy interior with flowers and ferns, boards on the walls with all kinds of articles and notices. Lanterns hung from the ceiling, brightening the room and allowing the crowds of Pokemon below to see one another as they talked to one another in lively groups. There were even stands set up inside of the guide for what you assumed were guide-ly purposes. The air was full of upbeat positivity, almost like that one adult who simply cannot help but cheer you on.

Gareth sighed dreamily beside you, his eyes growing wide. “Wow! Brendon.. are you seeing this? Look how many Pokemon there are!”

He walked towards the center of the room, with you behind him. You scratched your head, smiling sheepishly as he turned towards you.

“So! This is Wigglytuff’s Guild! What do you think, Brendon?”

“Well,” you admit, “just a few hours ago, I couldn’t believe I’d been turned into a Pokemon. And now, I can’t believe I’m surrounded by them. So truthfully, buddy, it’s pretty surreal.”

Gareth tapped his chin. “You’re right, I did say I was going to help you with that. Maybe we’ll find answers here. I mean, there are all kinds of exploration teams! And so many Pokemon! Do you think they might be on teams?”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind you. A colorful bird Pokemon was hopping towards the two of you with an unreadable expression. He has an upright gait that was quick and business-like, suggesting a high position, you thought. “Excuse me!”

“Hello!” Gareth greeted amicably. 

“It was you two that just came in, right?” The bird Pokemon asked. You tilted your head.

“Yeah, that’s us!” You respond. “We just got here.”

“I’m Chatot!” The Pokemon introduced himself in a singsong tone. “I’m the Pokemon in the know around here. Everyone knows who I am. I’m the right-hand Pokemon of our Guildmaster!”

“Wow, that’s awesome!” Gareth squeaked. “So you-“

“Now, shoo!” Chatot fluttered his wings. “Leave the premises! We don’t have time for salespeople or surveys, and we have no need for interviews of any kind! Especially if you are that Riolu! It has been a while, but there is no need to continue asking about your friend! We have not seen them!”

So much for a warm welcome.

“No, that’s not why we’re here! We’re, uh, not that Riolu,” Gareth stuttered, and tapped his paws against the grass, “we want to form an exploration team and so we came to get training from the famous Wigglytuff’s Guild!”

Chatot looked shocked, his expression darkening as Gareth went on. “Wh-what? Exploration team?”

He turned around, and began to mutter to himself. You strained to listen with your… ears? You suppose those don’t really exist anymore.

“It’s so rare to see this kind of Pokemon want to apprentice here…. He looked so nervous. And his partner? Is this a comic book of some kind? He was so quiet and stone-faced… but he certainly didn’t seem like the explorer type. And the training! No one ever wants to train here with how hard it is…”

Chatot continued to mumble, and you traded a nervous glance with Gareth as Chatot muttered. “Surely the steady stream of Pokemon that run screaming from our vigorous training proves how true that is… I suppose the guild needs more money, but no one has wanted to partner with the newest recruit to begin with… Which is understandable. Bad attitude, angry expressions, and a tough customer all around.”

“Um… Excuse me.” Gareth looked a little impatient. “Is the training really that severe?”

Chatot whirled around, unaware he had been deep in thought so loudly. “What?” He squawked. His wings flutter furiously now, keeping him hovering above the ground. By God, how is he moving that fast? “No! No, no no! Haha! Our exploration team training is as easy as can be! I’m sure you will have a jolly time!”

Chatot gathered himself, and began to rock his note-shaped tail and headfeather in sync. “I wish you had told me from the very beginning, as soon as I saw you!”

“He is… also pretty weird,” Gareth mumbled, “Why did his attitude change so suddenly, and who is the new recruit anyway?”

Chatot motioned with his tail, heading for the stairs. “All right, follow me! And we’ll get you signed up right away!”

You both hesitated. Chatot was… really fucking weird. Like, severely so. You can’t speak for Gareth. It seems like he’s finding everything to be weird, but you think that everything is even weirder than that. Sure, your partner was quick to believe Chatot when he contradicted himself, but you think otherwise. You’re in a bit of a running-away-from-weird-bird-man-and-his-rigorous-training mood.

“Well? What are you waiting for?” Chatot asked, noticing your hesitance. “Hurry up, I haven’t got all day.”

>

“This is the guild’s second floor. As you can see, it’s a little less crowded than the first. It’s also identical in appearance for the most part… this is where apprentices do most of their work. All of the magic happens here, as this is also where we hold our meetings and such.”

Chatot hopped along the ground to a heavy, wooden door jutting from the wall. However, Gareth’s eyes were on a giant window on the wall. He excitedly stepped around Chatot to gaze outwards.

“Wow!” He squeaked. “We’re two floors underground, but you can still see outside! Hey, Brendon, are you seeing this? Isn’t this awesome?”

“That’s because the Guild is on a cliff,” you tell him, tiredly, “I think it’s cute that you’re excited, but it’s not a huge thing.”  
Chatot looks at you curiously. "Not the talkative type, eh?" He questions, “you’ve said almost nothing but that since we’ve arrived.”

You shrug. “I make jokes sometimes.”

Gareth rolled his eyes, and Chatot cleared his throat. “As I was saying, this is the Guildmaster’s chamber. I should warn you now… you are not to be discourteous to our Guildmaster, and there are to be no comments on his appearance or manner.”

You look at Gareth, timidly. “Is there a reason you tell us this?”

Chatot shrugs, before pushing open the door. “Well, there is a reason we do not allow businessmen into the Guild.”

The room the door led to was not very big. The windows Gareth was so amused by lined the walls, filling the room with natural light. There were fruits scattered haphazardly around the room, sprawled over the green grass lining the floor. The Guildmaster stood, his back turned, on a soft rug in the back of the room.  
The three of you stepped closer, up to the point where you stood in front of the rug. 

“Guildmaster!” Chatot called. “I have two Pokemon here who wish to join the guild as apprentices!”

The Guildmaster did not turn around. In fact, you weren’t entirely sure he was breathing. Gareth flashed you a worried look.

Then, he did. Turn, that is.

“Hiya!” The Guildmaster greeted, his eyes flitting from you to Gareth. “I’m Wigglytuff! You wanna form an exploration team? That’s incredible! Let’s do it! I’m always up for more friends! Friends, friends!”

“Guildmaster…” Chatot tilted his head.

“First we have to register a team name for the both of you!” Wigglytuff said. “Of course, most teams already know theirs before they even arrive. So, spit it out! What is your team’s name?”

Suddenly, Gareth was rigid. “Team name?” He echoed, looking at you nervously. “I.. I didn’t think of one.”

“Well, that should be the easy part.” You say. “There was this place I like, somewhere I think we should name it after.”

“Team what, then?” Gareth meowed. “What should we name our team?”

“Ithaka.” You tell him. “Let’s name our team Ithaka.”

“That’s very weird.” Gareth muttered. “You say you’ve been there, but I’ve never been to a place like that before. It sounds like a kind of breakfast treat.”

“Hey, we’re talking Pokemon,” you challenge, “don’t test your luck on any kind of decent naming skills, or saying anything other than your name for it.”

“All settled then!” Wigglytuff cheered, much to Gareth’s dismay. “I’ll register your team as being Ithaka!”

“Registering… Registering…” The Guildmaster hummed, and you scowled.

“Is there really no paperwork around here? Nothing?” You mutter to Gareth. “No permission slips or anything? How old are you, even?”

“Congratulations!” Wigglytuff boomed. “From now on, you are an official exploration team!”  
“Or you would be.” Chatot butted in, leaving you and Gareth silent. “You see, there’s a bit of a request we have to make. There is another trainee here looking to join an exploration team for his training, as he’s not looking to be an individual explorer. So for the duration of your training, he will be joining your team on your adventures.”

“What?” Gareth looked surprised. “I mean, the more the merrier, but who is he?”

“His name is Buizel, and he has been here for… a few weeks, at most.” Chatot tapped his beak, tail note waving. “He has a bit of a temperamental attitude, but I’m sure you’ll get along just fine. When your training is complete, both you and him can decide whether or not he stays. You can meet him in the morning, if you’d like, as he’s likely already asleep now.”

“Oh.. alright.” You shuffle your feet. “I mean, sounds like fun, but what if we don’t get along?”

“Oh, you will.” Chatot says happily. “Or otherwise, you can pursue your training somewhere else.”

“Chatot has a point,” Wigglytuff admits, “as teamwork calls for, the three of you must learn to work together in order to help others. So you are officially team Ithaka, an exploration team, plus Buizel.”

What a weird Pokemon. And now that you think about it… Why were the Pokemon named so oddly? You and Gareth had names, but why did no one else?

“So!” Chatot went on, “we need your names for the record.”

“Gareth!” Gareth cheered. “And Brendon! You don’t have to worry about shorthand now. We don’t mind either way!”

You are surprised at the oddly serious look that Wigglytuff throws to Chatot, but he shakes it off quickly and smiles. “Wonderful! Alright, I present you this in commemoration! A Pokemon Exploration Team Kit!” 

He sets down a box in front of you, and Gareth quickly opens it. “Wow, a Pokemon Exploration Team Kit! It’s just like what the ads say: ‘What every Exploration Team needs to succeed!’”

“You’ll find an Explorer’s Badge, a Wonder Map, and a Treasure Bag!” Wigglytuff cheered. “There are all sorts of goodies in there, aren’t there?”

“Yeah!” Gareth agreed, grinning. “Our identification and teleportation device, the Explorer’s Badge! And the Wonder Map, which is a magical exploration item that can help us record progress as well as recite locations! And there’s even the Treasure Bag, a bottomless bag that we can fill with whatever we want!”

“You certainly did your research!” Chatot chirps, sounding impressed. “Of course, the more explorations that you embark on, the better the opportunity for the Treasure Bag to expand. It’s a very wonderful bag, and very convenient indeed!”

“Yes, he’s right!” Wigglytuff smiled. “Go ahead and peer inside.”

You peer over Gareth’s shoulder. He certainly seems happy, looking like a child with Christmas presents. “A Special Band, Fuchsia Bow… wow! Thank you for all of these gifts!”

“It’s no problem at all, only policy!” Wigglytuff pumps a paw. “Of course, make sure to do your best to train and make us proud!”

“Of course!” Gareth agreed, looking at you with his eyes bright. “We’ll do our best to train and make you proud! Right, Brendon?”

This was all happening so fast, you thought. Just earlier today you woke up disoriented on the beach, and now you were making an exploration team with someone you met just today, a Pikachu… But he seems so happy about the future. You can’t help but be happy too. He trusts you enough to do this with you, and that feels rather warm.

However… the silence is deafening as you haven’t responded.

You blink and nod quickly, looking at the three of them. “Oh, uh, yeah! I’ll do my best too, to be a great explorer!”

“Certainly!” Chatot looked pleased. “Your beds are next door. Out the door and down the hallway to the left. Go ahead and rest up, and make sure to sleep late tonight! Your training will start early tomorrow!”

>

The moon hung heavy in the sky, bright and full. You had already lain down to bed. The room was a bit small, but there was a small drawer near a window in the wall. It was nice and cozy, with vines crawling up the wall. There was a door that closed in your room, providing a bit of privacy. There were three beds, though, suggesting that there was meant to be a third person here with you.

Gareth had begged to sleep closest to the door. He had some weird idea of fending off any attackers, but you argued that Wigglytuff looked rather scary with his unblinking eyes and squishy, weird body. There was no way anyone would dare to stage a break in.

Grudgingly, Gareth agreed with you. And now you both lay in bed, night creeping through the sky.

“Brendon?” He asked from the bed over. “Are you awake?”

“Yeah, I am.” You murmur, turning over in bed. He was faced away from you, however. His yellow fur moved up and down slowly, as he breathed. “Can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead,” he mumbled sleepily, “ask away.”

“Why are we called Brendon and Gareth, but everyone else here is called by their Pokemon name?” You ask, tiredly. “Are we the only Pokemon with not-Pokemon names?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Gareth muttered, as if you’d asked something stupid (but if he had thought about it, he would know it was a perfectly logical question), “of course not. All Pokemon have other names, but not everyone uses their other name. Most Pokemon just choose not to. It’s no big deal. Honestly.. you usually give your name to only those you trust very deeply.”

You were in shock. “Then why did you give them our names? They even introduced our future teammate as just Buizel!”

“I thought it would make them trust us more!” Gareth murmured. “I want people to see us and feel happy and safe, I want other Pokemon to trust us… I don’t mind using our real names, in that case. Maybe people will start to do it too, when they know how good it makes us feel… Buizel doesn’t have to do it, too, but maybe he would like that.”

“Okay, good enough.” You respond. “I’ve just… I’ve been so confused about this new place.”

“Me too.” Gareth echoed. “My heart’s been racing since we met, since I saw you, and it hasn’t stopped at all. But I’m glad I made myself come here, glad I met you… I thought everyone here was going to be mean, but everyone was really nice!”

“For the most part,” you said, remembering Chatot’s initial words.

“Within reason,” Gareth countered, “and even then, we have so much to experience tomorrow. But I’m not scared at all, which is weird. I thought I was a scaredy cat.”

“You’re not alone.” You murmur, in a voice that surprises you.

“And I’m excited about it.” Gareth squeaked softly. “I’m excited about it. And that’s thanks to you, Brendon.”

Silence hung between the both of you, but it was not uncomfortable. You felt warm and safe, to be honest. Your eyes drooped.

“Let’s give it all we have for tomorrow,” Gareth whispered, and his voice began to lower even more, “Goodnight, Brendon…”

He went quiet, and soon his breathing was steady. The Pikachu had fallen asleep rather quickly, you noted, and it was probably because of how hectic the day had been for the both of you. His words were kind, and they felt good. But. There were still so many things bothering you.

Now you’re suddenly an apprentice at the guild. Though you were excited now, you had to admit. And being around Gareth made you happy. But who were you supposed to be? Where did you come from? Why were you here? It was so oddly convenient that you just so happened to develop amnesia. 

You were starting to feel sleepy. Thinking about this won’t help forever, and it’ll just make you worry. You roll over, careful to keep your hot firey tail off of the bed. You can do it, eventually…

Would you like to save your adventure?

 

> [yes]  
no

Saving your adventure… Please do not turn off the power or touch the Game Card...

Save completed!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey if u wanna follow my twitter it's @ayuemui
> 
> same for my tumblr here: https://ayuemui.tumblr.com/
> 
> leave comments pls! and kudos are welcome too :o


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